A thread dedicated to the young players you thought would go on a become big players for us, who instead fell off the map.

Ravel: After scoring THAT goal against spurs, I remember thinking that we had potentially one of the best players in the world on our hands (this was also based on Alex Ferguson's statement that he was the most talented player he had ever worked with)

Freddie Sears: I was even more certain about this boy than Ravel. After his debut goal against Blackburn I celebrated as if I had scored a debut West Ham goal myself. Then things went a bit stale...

Ludeksgloves wrote:A thread dedicated to the young players you thought would go on a become big players for us, who instead fell off the map.

Ravel: After scoring THAT goal against spurs, I remember thinking that we had potentially one of the best players in the world on our hands (this was also based on Alex Ferguson's statement that he was the most talented player he had ever worked with)

Freddie Sears: I was even more certain about this boy than Ravel. After his debut goal against Blackburn I celebrated as if I had scored a debut West Ham goal myself. Then things went a bit stale...

I never got it with Sears. Credit to him for following up his initial scuffed effort v Blackburn to head in the re-bound, but he should have scored with his first shot. Too small and too lightweight, I always thought and it was no surprise to me he us always in and out of the Ipswich side. Think you will see him last somewhere like East Thurrock Utd within a few years. I did think, however, Zabon Hines was destined for better things, but alas no

Kendal Iron wrote:Adam Newton - looked great in that cup winning youth team

Him ^^^^.Mark Smith - great shame his career was ruined by injury early on. Saw his league debut against Swansea and he looked born to that left back position.Mark (?) Schiavi - seemed to score a hat-trick every single week for the kids.Jamie Victory.

Those from East London would heard of him. He dominated school boys football.

This guy was like Messi in the WH youth team with Rio & co. I use to watch the team a fair bit as school friend was in the team and Hodges stood out a mile scoring for fun, dribbling length of pitch etc. Frank was average and Rio was class to watch. The rest is history.

I watched Southend play when Stanislas was on loan to them. He was the only bright spark in a very dreary game and I was really excited that he was ours. I know he has made it because he is a premier league player, but I thought he was going to be a real star for us.

Perhaps I'm being over critical but I always thought that Alan Dickens would turn out to be a much better player than he actually was for us - and talking of players being played out of position , Alan was moved up top to partner Tony Cottee while we looked for a replacement for Frank Mcavennie .

Kevin Lock was another who was billed as ' the next Bobby Moore ' the nearest he ever got was wearing the No 6 shirt .

Dudley Tyler - bought from the Hereford side which famously knocked Newcastle out of the FA Cup and who managed a draw with us in the next round , managed 29 appearances before being shipped back to Hereford .

There were two young players who I thought would go on and be stalwarts in the first team. The first has previously been mentioned, Jamie Victory, looked composed, good in the air fair on the ball and seemed to read the game well. Watched him a few times for Cheltenham, and know He was be was being watched by Cardiff City, but alas he came to nothing.

Second was a goal scoring machine Danny Shipp, like the Gary goals advert could score all types of goals, always seemed to be in the local press get good revues, but what did happen to him.

His career was headed the way of a reasonably well-off man's Paul Scholes until Curbs told him he didn't have the pace for attacking midfield, and the rest - all the attacking runs, all the goals, all the deft one-twos in the box that might have been - was history.

Last edited by Westaam on Fri Sep 22, 2017 3:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.